Refugees

Since the division of Korea after World War II and the end of the Korean War (1950–1953), some North Koreans have managed to defect for political, ideological, religious, economic or personal reasons.​​

Escaping from North Korea

Thousands of North Korean refugees escape North Korea; however, they are at risk of exploitation and capture because they can not afford the 3,000-mile journey to a safe country. Even if they make it to China, they face grave danger because the Chinese government arrests and forcibly sends back North Korean refugees. If sent back, they undergo interrogation and are at risk of extremely harsh punishments including torture, forced labor, forced abortions, and forced into political prison camps. Even if they manage to evade the authorities in China, their illegal status forces them to work in invisible industries and leaves them vulnerable to exploitation by sex traffickers and unethical employers. In these dire circumstances, many North Korean refugees do not have the resources or connections to get themselves out of China.​ Organizations such as, LiNK help rescue such refugees without any cost, and ensure their safety on their journey to freedom. The organization helps refugees travel from China to Southeast Asia through an underground railroad, where they can then travel to South Korea, or occasionally, the United States. They also help the refugees resettle into their new lives in the new countries. LiNK has so far rescued 733 refugees and have over 275 rescue teams in 16 countries around the world. Not only do they help refugees escape to freedom, they also bring awareness by: creating documentaries, short videos, presentations, online content, campaigns and many other projects to educate the global community on the challenges faced by the North Korean people.

I once believed man was different from other animals, but Yodok showed me that reality doesn't support this opinion. In the camp, there was no difference between man and beast, except maybe that a very hungry human was capable of stealing food from its little ones while an animal, perhaps, was not.- Kang Choi Hwan, The Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag

For as long as I can remember, thousands of North Koreans have been escaping to China to avoid injustice. However, those who were caught were sent back by the Chinese government where they were placed in prison camp, involuntary labor, and sometimes even death. The refugees have to unwillingly work in government jobs at dying economies. Thousands of parents don't make enough to feed their children. They feel like they have no other choice but to run away to China. There are currently as many as 200,000 refugees secretly hiding out in China, but they consider them illegal immigrants even though they are refugees. ​The United Nations and China had a deal that basically said China is not allowed to send the refugees back to North Korea. However, they still collaborated with them to locate refugees and would even rewards their citizen with money if they turned them in. Even though North Koreans made it to China, they are still scared of trying to leave because they often get caught up trying to cross the border to Laos or Mongolia. One option would be hiring a broker which are costly and not always reliable to lead them out of China. To get to Mongolia they would need to take various bus rides followed by a deep walk through the Gobi desert. Though, getting to Laos is a much riskier journey where you are more likely to be caught by authorities. The main reason why China turns refugees back to North Korea is because permitting them to stay would cause many more of them to come into China; starting "chaos." Majority of the refugees do not want stay in China, but pass through it so they can get to safety in South Korea or another country that will protect them. South Korea is legally obligated to welcome all North Koreans and there are around 29,000 refugees in South Korea right now. Where as in China, they have no identity or family and can't find jobs legally, but that is still less dangerous than trying to leave China.

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